Jelly manufacture



Patented July 31 1934 UMTEosTA' Es PATENT OFFICE JELLY MANUFACTURE Robert M. Preston, Chicago, Ill.

No Drawing. Application December 7, 1931, Serial No. 579,659

6 Claims. (01. 99-11) My invention relates to improvements in jellymaking compositions, and moreparticularly to compositions adapted for household or domestic use.

Q One of the objects of the invention is to 'provide a simple and economical process for the production of jelly or of a jelly-forming composition which contains all the necessary ingredients for forming jelly merely by mixing the composition with fruit juice or water and boiling a very brief time. A further object is to provide a jelly-- making composition which is relatively non-hygroscopic and which can be stored without undergoing a-ppreciable deterioration. Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

In employing pectin in jelly making, by methods hitherto proposed, it has been necessary, in order to secure a suitable product, to control the hyby the action of the ammoniumtartrate on the tartaric acid serving apparently to bufier the composition during the jelly-making operation and to produce the desired hydrogen-ion concentration therein. r I

In the practice ofmy invention, I prefer to employ a standardized pectin of known strength and acidity and to incorporate therewith a mixture of ammonium tartrate and tartaric acid in reacting proportions to form racemic acid. Pref- 6 erably I employe' about, say, 4 grams of ammoniumyl-tartrate to 3 /.r'grams of tartaric acid. Also, I prefer to add suitable carbohydrates indry form. If desired, a fruit acid, such as citric, malic, and an additional quantity of 7 tartaric acid, together with flavoring and color ing materials, may be added.

The following is given by way of specific example:

0 drogen-ion concentration of the jelly-forming Grams mixture by incorporating therein a buffer salt, Sugar 4 54 such as sodium acetate or sodium bicarbonate, or Racemic acid preparation 1 other salts of strong bases and weak acids. Such Tartario acid salts control the acidity of the pectin and also 140 citrus pectin 6.8-1

' serve to neutralize any hydrochloric acid which might be associated with the crude pectin. v

The buffer saltsindicated above are incorporated with suitable amounts of jelly-forming ingradients such as sugar, pectin, and one or more By utilizing, in reacting proportions, a mixture of ammonium tartrate and tartaric acid, in a jelly-making composition, I am able to eliminate ,A cupful of the mixture is added at intervals, 8 say in three equal parts,,to a cupful of boiling; Water and fruit juice. After boiling for approximately 3 /2, minutes at a temperature of about The above constituents are preliminarily mixed and the resulting mixture is then mixed with 30 acids, to form a mixturetowhioh water or fruit iti g ggg is zgf f fiifi i z g gfi :2? juice is subsequently added. Such a mixture, eals toform a erfct n g l however, is not entirely satisfactory'under'all g Another mg is g conditions which may be encountered, because E a when a buffer salt such assodium acetate is V Grams 35 utilized, the mixture tends to absorb moisture Granulated sugar 700 and to cake on standing and whensubsequently Racemic acid preparation mixed with water and boiled to form a jelly, Tartaric acid "1 irritating vapors of acetic acid are produced and 140 citrus pectin 5 40 2 52 9232 9 2 may have mtwjeible acetm The above mixture is ,addedto 700 gramsof made a palatable jelly composition-may be produced by R p f z b t incorporating a definite amount of compounds i g l g orms good Jely m which react together to form racemic acid in a jelly-forming composition, the racemic acid i thud di mlxtqre m formed 106 formed in the process apparently regulating and initial y containing the following ingredients. buffering the acidity of the mixture during the Cane Su M g jellying operation without causing a premature citris F 7 5 321/ set of the jelly and without impairing the other ""3 jngredients of the jelly I Racem.1c plepa'ra' Ion 3 /2 Tartarlc acid 6 above 3600 parts of carbohydrate, suitably equal parts of sucrose and anhydrous dextrose, or 110 ...sodium acetate and other similar buffer salts 1mm the composition, the racemic acid formed sucrose alone. The preliminary mixing, while not essential, is advisable as it facilitates the production of a homogeneous mixture. Suitable flavoring and coloring materials may be incorporated in the mixture. If desired, a greater or less proportion of the carbohydrate may be included in the preliminary mixture containing the pectin or sugar may be entirely omitted therefrom.

The expression racemic acid preparation appearing in the above examples, indicates a mixture of ammonium tartrate and tartaric acid, in reacting proportions, for the conversion of tartaric acid into racemic form, such proportions being about, say, 4 grams of ammonium tartrate to 3 grams of tartaric acid.

The expression 140 grade pectin indicates a standard dry pectin of which one pound will cause 140 pounds of sugar to gel, the same having an acidity controlled to a pH of 3.4 and 7.0.

The specific compositions previously set forth will produce a jelly of satisfactory consistency, without the addition of other constituents. Thus, the mixture may be added to water in the proportion of 8 oz. of the mixture to 10 oz. of water and boiled to a temperature of 216 to 220 F. or to a proper consistency by a spoon test, and a jelly will be formed. If the composition is intended for use with fruit juices or pulps, suitable reduction in the proportions of acid and of carbohydrate may be made. Furthermore, with different grades of pectin, difi'erent proportions of the carbohydrates are required, and in any case, if desired, only part of the carbohydrate required need be mixed in the composition, the re- =mainder being added by the housewife or other user.

While I have described the formation of racemic acid, for the function which it apparently serves, by reacting ammonium tartrate with tartaric acid, the racemic acid may, of course, be formed by any of the methods well known in the art. For the purpose of classification, the mate rials which may be combined, in the jelly-making operation, to form racemic acid, are designated as RX.

While I have described my compositions as being useful for jelly-making, it should be understood that the compositions are also adapted for use in making pectin confections and other products.

While I have disclosed my invention in considerable detail and have given specific examples, it will be understood that such examples should be construed as illustrative and not by way of limitation. For example, the proportions given above may, of course, be varied in accordance withthe particular use desired, as indicated above.' Other modifications of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without .departing from the spirit and scope thereof. It 'is, therefore, desired that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A composition adapted to be incorporated in a batch for jelly making and the like, comprising sugar, pectin of standardized pH value, and a mixture of ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in reacting proportions whereby racemic tartaric acid is formed, all of said ingredients being present in proportions such that upon addition of such composition to water or fruit juice, heating to boiling and allowing to set, a jelly will be formed.

2. A composition for jelly making and the like, comprising a dry mixture containing a carbohydrate, a pectin of standardized pH value, and a mixture of ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in proportions adapted to react and form racemic tartaric acid, all of said ingredients being present in proportions such that upon addition of such composition to water or fruit juice, heating to boiling and allowing to set, a jelly will be formed.

3. A composition for jelly makin and the like, comprising a dry mixture containing approximately 4550 parts of carbohydrate, approximately 32%, parts of standardized pectin, approximately 32 parts of racemic acid preparation, and approximately 6 parts of tartaric acid, said racemic acid preparation consisting of a mixture of ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in such proportion as to form racernic tartaric acid when reacted.

4. In that method of preparing jellies wherein pectin, acid and sugar are added to water or fruit juice, boiled and permitted to set, the step which consists in adding to water or fruit juice a mixture containing pectin, sugar and a mixture of ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in reacting proportions whereby racernic tartaric acid is formed, heating to boiling, and then permitting the jelly to set.

5. The method of producing a jelly, which comprises adding to water or a fruit juice, a mixture of standardized pectin, sugar and ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in reacting proportions whereby racemio tartaric acid is formed, said ingredients being so proportioned as to forma jelly when boiled together and permitted to set,' cooking the mixture at a temperature of about 216 to 220 F. to a jellying consistency, and then allowing the mixture to set.

6. A composition adapted to be incorporated in a batch for making pectin jelly confections and the like, comprising pectin of standardized pH value and RX, said RX comprising ammonium l-tartrate and tartaric acid in proportions such as to form racernic tartaric acid when reacted, all of said ingredients being present in proportions such that upon addition of such composition to water or fruit juice and sugar, heating to boiling and allowing to set, a jelly will be formed.

ROBERT M. PRESTON. 

